Over spring break this year the stars aligned and my brother drove in from Washington and my sister from Oregon and we were able to have a week of family and food and so much fun. All 6 of us and our families haven't been all together in a long long time. I can't even remember how long. Years and years... They all arrived conference Saturday and the men all went to the Priesthood session.
Me and my mom and sister got Cafe Rio salads and gave the babies baths in the sink until our husbands came home.
The next morning we met my sister back at my moms to watch the Sunday sessions of conference. I generally don't enjoy conference in any way. I've tried a million different things to try and entice my children to listen or at least be quiet so I can listen but they are inevitably bouncing off the walls for whatever reason whenever that choir music starts and they don't chill out until it's all over. This time I decided to try something new and have sundaes after the last session on Sunday afternoon and for each talk we listened to or at least stayed quiet through we earned another topping for our ice cream. It was by far the most successful thing I've tried so far. I'm going to remember this one for next time.
First thing Monday morning we met down in our neighborhood for family pictures. My awesome friend Haley, who did all our pictures last time, met me at my house before everyone else got there and took a couple of little gems. Here's a sneak peak:
Everyone else arrived and we did the big picture. They turned out awesome.
Afterward, we all came back to my house for lunch.
And hanging out..
And whatever this game is all about:
Once we'd all relaxed for a while we went over to Nickel City which is my kids new most favorite place in the world. This is why I don't want to take them to Disneyland or places like that. To them Nickel City was THE happiest Place on Earth. They played games and won tickets and best of all they all got to play Laser Tag. I thought maybe they would get freaked out by the black lights and stuff but it was like they were born to shoot those laser guns. Especially Charlie, oh my..
Tuesday we met for lunch at our favorite little burger place in Salem and then we went down to my father in law's farm.
After cow feeding and pony rides some of us went back to my house for ice cream while John took the big people and the teenagers to shoot some clay pigeons.
For whatever reason I didn't take any pictures on Wednesday. We went over to my brother Ryan's house and had a delicious bbq and the kids had a blast with all the 3-D sidewalk chalk and bubbles and the stomp rocket and the moon shoes and the trampoline and I even got Wren to take a nap for a couple hours in my brother and sister in law's room. The only picture I have is this sign they have in the kitchen that I loved:
Oh and this one:
Exhaustion.
Thursday morning I met my mom and my sister for one last lunch and some shopping before she took off. Man, I miss that girl.
Being a Knowlton is cool.
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